Mr. Morten Bæk, Danish Permanent Secretary for Climate, Energy and Utilities, and Nguyen Van Binh, head of the Economic Affairs of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Photo: Danish Embassy in Hanoi

During the two-day visit beginning on November 4, Mr. Morten Bæk worked with different Vietnamese senior officials exchanging views on strategic issues concerning decarbonization of the energy sector, according to the Danish Embassy in Hanoi.

Climate change and commercial relations between the two countries were main issues during talks between the permanent secretary and leaders of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and Nguyen Van Binh, the Chairman for Economic Affairs of the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Communist Party, and Phan Xuan Dung, the Chairman of the Committee on Science, Technology and Environment of the National Assembly.

Mr. Morten Bæk said “the energy partnership between Vietnam and Denmark is strong, efficient and produces tangible results” and “Denmark is committed to consolidating and expanding the collaboration in the coming years.”

One of the highlights of Mr. Morten Bæk’s visit was “the launch of the Vietnam Energy Outlook Report 2019” which is a landmark in the two countries’ cooperation within energy modelling.

Denmark signed in November 2011 a joint declaration with the government of Vietnam aimed at building a strategic partnership within the areas of climate change, environment, energy and green growth.

This entails continued support to development and implementation of strategies, programs and action plans of Vietnam in the field of climate change, environment, energy and green growth.

Accordingly, the two countries agree to encourage the use of Danish expertise and technology within energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The first phase of the Energy Partnership Programme between Denmark and Vietnam (DEPP) started in 2013. The second phase started in 2017 and will be completed in 2020. A third phase with a 5-year duration is expected to start in 2020.

The program, which is implemented by the Danish Energy Agency and the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, supports the engagements namely (1) Capacity development for long-term energy sector planning with the Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority; (2) Capacity development for Renewable Energy Integration into the power system with the Electricity Regulatory Authority of Vietnam; (3) Low carbon development in the industrial sector with the Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development Department.

Some highlights of DEPP achievements include (1) Technology catalogue for power generation and storage technologies published in May 2019; (2) Energy Outlook Report 2019 published in November 2019; (3) Support to capacity improvement of the Vietnamese power system operator in renewable energy forecast; (4) Support to power market development including Grid Code revision and securing the availability of ancillary services; (5) Improved energy efficiency regulatory framework and enforcement capacity at provincial level and on national level.